The Trenton City Council held a discussion on whether or not to endorse the Grundy County prosecuting attorney’s efforts to make his position full time during a brief meeting Monday evening.
Third Ward Councilman David Mlika said he had been asked by Grundy County Prosecuting Attorney Kelly Puckett to seek the council’s endorsement of the issue, which would be placed on the Aug. 2 Election Ballot if Puckett can get a petition with the required number of signatures turned in by May 24. The number of signatures required would be 10 percent of the number of persons who voted in the November 2020 General Election, which was 4,467.
The discussion at Monday’s meeting focused on whether or not the city should even be considering endorsing something that would have to be paid for by the county and whether or not the council should be trying to influence individuals.
“I think it’s up to the individuals,” First Ward Councilman Lance Otto said. “I don’t think I should be trying to influence their decision.”
Mlika said he had been told that the prosecutor’s salary, which at the current part-time rate is $48,898.80 per year, would rise to $90,000. However, that number is incorrect as the salary would be equal to that of the associate judge, which is approximately $146,000 per year.
The county prosecutor does handle felony cases that occur within the city of Trenton, but those cases are filed as state charges as the municipal (city court) only handles violations of city ordinances.
Several council members said they would like more data and invited Puckett to attend a future meeting.
Council members accepted a bid from Dustin Wilson for mowing of city properties, including the city cemetery and nuisance properties. The total bid for seven properties is $140 per mow with the properties to be mowed twice a month, plus $100 per mow for the city cemetery, which is to be mowed three times over the summer. There will be an additional charge for nuisance properties that need to be mowed. Wilson, who submitted the lowest total bid of three submitted, has been awarded the bid for the past two years.
In other business, the council approved the appointment of Tim Bland to the Building and Nuisance Board and discussed the finance committee’s work on the 2022-23 budget, which will go into effect on May 1. City Administrator/UtilityDirector Ron Urton reported that the water line contractor for the wastewater treatment plant project has laid the main from Connie Lane to the plant, which means the work that is taking place in “crop ground” in that area is near completion. He also discussed the new Environmental Protection Agency’s Lead and Copper Rule, which will require the city to take an inventory of the type of service lines in the city and label them by 2024 with eventual removal and replacement of certain types of lines. He said the new rule will have a significant impact on future operations, projects and funding.
The council’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 14.
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